Lineman salary in Rhode Island
Median $50.30 an hour for 120 linemen, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Lineman pay in Rhode Island: the full range
Rhode Island ranks 18th of 51 states for median lineman pay, and 25th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $49.17). 120 linemen work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.7× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $34.96 – $37.46 | $72,710 – $77,920 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $37.46 – $58.96 | $77,920 – $122,640 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $58.96 – $60.19 | $122,640 – $125,200 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Lineman pay by metro in Rhode Island
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence | $35.73 | $54.39 | $60.38 | 190 | 8% above |
Lineman wages in Rhode Island over time
Table
| Year | Rhode Island $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $20.04 | $38.73 | $20.97 | — |
| 2000 | $22.41 | $41.90 | $22.01 | 100 |
| 2001 | $23.98 | $43.59 | $22.70 | 210 |
| 2005 | $26.51 | $43.70 | $24.11 | 210 |
| 2008 | $27.32 | $40.85 | $26.49 | — |
| 2009 | $28.76 | $43.16 | $27.24 | 170 |
| 2010 | $34.27 | $50.60 | $27.90 | 230 |
| 2011 | $33.45 | $47.88 | $28.94 | 250 |
| 2012 | $38.02 | $53.31 | $30.41 | 310 |
| 2013 | — | — | $30.85 | 310 |
| 2014 | $27.80 | $37.81 | $31.70 | 210 |
| 2015 | $29.19 | $39.65 | $31.95 | 290 |
| 2016 | — | — | $32.70 | 300 |
| 2017 | $42.31 | $55.57 | $33.36 | — |
| 2018 | $41.65 | $53.40 | $34.09 | 350 |
| 2019 | $41.21 | $51.89 | $34.86 | 270 |
| 2020 | $45.88 | $57.07 | $36.07 | 220 |
| 2021 | $46.42 | $55.15 | $37.65 | 150 |
| 2022 | $50.91 | $56.00 | $39.59 | 150 |
| 2023 | $51.21 | $54.11 | $41.07 | 140 |
| 2024 | $51.81 | $53.17 | $44.50 | 210 |
| 2025 | $50.30 | $50.30 | $45.83 | 120 |
In today's dollars, the median lineman wage in Rhode Island changed by +26.9% over the last ten years of data and by -3.1% since 2019.
Are there more lineman jobs in Rhode Island?
BLS counted 120 linemen in Rhode Island in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 20%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.
Outlook for linemen in Rhode Island
Rhode Island's labor market agency projects the number of linemen in the state to change by +10.1% between 2024 and 2034, from 220 to 240, with about 20 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +10.3% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 120 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Rhode Island labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Is construction work growing in Rhode Island?
Keep comparing
Lineman pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Rhode Island
- Electrician
- Plumber
- HVAC technician
- Welder
- Carpenter
- Diesel mechanic
- Crane operator
- Heavy equipment operator
More on Rhode Island
Questions this page answers
How much do linemen make in Rhode Island?
The median lineman in Rhode Island earned $50.30 an hour ($104,620 a year) in May 2025, 10% above the national median of $45.83. The middle half earn $37.46–$58.96; the top 10% earn more than $60.19.
Where does Rhode Island rank for lineman pay?
Rhode Island ranks 18th of 51 states for lineman pay, with a median of $50.30 an hour, and 25th after adjusting for Rhode Island's cost of living (BEA price parity 102.3, US = 100).
What is the union lineman rate in Rhode Island?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a lineman classification for most Rhode Island counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many linemen work in Rhode Island?
BLS counted 120 linemen in Rhode Island in May 2025, 0.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.27; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is lineman work growing in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island's labor market agency projects +10.1% growth for linemen between 2024 and 2034, from 220 to 240 jobs.
How many lineman openings a year are there in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island projects about 20 openings a year for linemen over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 10,900 a year.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Rhode Island and metro areas, SOC 49-9051. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
- State projection: Rhode Island labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.